One of the busiest groups of volunteers in the Houston area is the Texas County Fair Board.
Made up of men and women dedicated to promoting agriculturally-oriented activities for area youth, the fair board annually organizes and conducts the community’s two biggest livestock-related events: The Texas County Livestock Fair and the Jackpot Show.
The Livestock Fair takes place in the livestock barns and arena at the Houston Area Chamber of Commerce Fairgrounds on the north end of town, usually spanning a three or four day period in July. The event features youth showing competition in numerous categories of both small and large farm animals, and culminates Saturday afternoon with the Junior Livestock Sale in which local individuals and business representatives purchase kids’ animals in a live auction format.
Taking place in June, the Jackpot Show features young livestock exhibitors from many communities around the region who show their animals in various competitive categories with cash prizes and other awards on the line.
The fair board is always involved in making improvements to the livestock area at the fair grounds, and this year will introduce a 1,440 square foot multi-purpose building constructed adjacent to the barns. Funding for the air-conditioned structure was provided by a Missouri Department of Agriculture BOAC grant (Building Our American Communities), a program that assists state FFA and 4-H chapters with projects.
To help finance their efforts, fair board members host a major fundraiser banquet and auction each October. Many businesses, organizations and individuals not on the board contribute in various ways.
“We’re very thankful to everybody who gets involved and wants to see kids in the community show their animals and show pride in what they’re doing,” said fair board chairman Darren Ice. “It takes a big commitment to do this, and we need all the help from the people who provide it.”
This year’s Jackpot Show is set for Sunday, June 4, and the Livestock Fair will run from Thursday, July 27 through Saturday, July 29.
For more information about the Texas County Fair Board, call Ice at 417-260-0471, or board members Curtis Rouse at 417-217-2588 or Tiffany Hines at 417-217-2398.